Juanita lives in New York and is Mexican. Felipe lives in Chicago and is
Panamanian, Venezuelan, and black. Michiko lives in Los Angeles and is
Peruvian and Japanese. Each of them is Latino.
Thirteen young Latinos and Latinas living in America are introduced in
this book celebrating the rich diversity of the Latino and Latina
experience in the United States. Free-verse fictional narratives from
the perspective of each youth provide specific stories and circumstances
for the reader to better understand the Latino people's quest for
identity. Each profile is followed by nonfiction prose that further
clarifies the character's background and history, touching upon
important events in the history of the Latino American people, such as
the Spanish Civil War, immigration to the US, and the internment of
Latinos with Japanese ancestry during World War II.
Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy's informational yet heartwarming text
provides a resource for young Latino readers to see themselves, while
also encouraging non-Latino children to understand the breadth and depth
of the contributions made by Latinos in the US.
Caldecott Medalist David Diaz's hand-cut illustrations are bold and
striking, perfectly complementing the vibrant stories in the book.
YES! WE ARE LATINOS stands alone in its presentation of the broad
spectrum of Latino culture and will appeal to readers of fiction and
nonfiction.